T20 WORLD CUP: England mow down India by 10-wkts to set up final against Pakistan
England powered to the T20 World Cup final mowing down semi-final rivals India by 10 wickets at the Adelaide Oval today to set up a showdown with Pakistan in Sunday’s final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. In a clear demonstration of their powerhouse domination of the extravaganza, England’s openers Alex Hales 86 off 47 hammering the Indian attack in a 7 sixes spree and 4 across, and Skipper Jeff Buttler 80 off 45 decorated by 7 boundaries and 3 over the top finished the job in spectacular style with 24 balls to spare making light of India’s challenging 168 for 6 off 20 having opted to field after winning the toss.
The English in uncertain terms sounded their all-round ruthlessness that has set apart Joss Buttler’s men as the team to watch when Chris Jordan mounted their bowling attack in breaking the back of India’s early batting with a 3-wicket burst. India was reduced to 2 for 56 after 8.5 overs when he removed skipper Rohit Sharma for 27 after Chris Woakes had sent back K.L. Rahul for 5. It opened the gateway for a third strike when Adel Rashid sent back danger man Suryakumar Yadav for 14 reducing India to 75 for 3 after 11.2 overs. But Virat Kohli 50 off 40 (4×4) and Hardik Pandya 63 off just 33 added 61 off 28 balls to lead an Indian revival. But Jordan made the decisive strike getting rid of Kohli caught by Adel Rashid as India reached 136 for 4 after 18. But Hardik Pandya, who had been on just 13 off 11 with India on 110 for 3 by the 17th over, thundered in a 58-run pounding off the last 4 overs, 50 of which came off his bat and 39 of those in the 18th over in raising Indian hopes. He finally exited treading on his stumps trying to smite Jordan to the boundary.
The Indians indeed tried and tried and literally went down fighting, but England then proved to be overwhelming with Hales thundering to the Player of the Match spoils though content to finally watch his skipper Buttler lace the winning six.
The post T20 WORLD CUP: England mow down India by 10-wkts to set up final against Pakistan appeared first on Sri Lanka Cricket.
